


How to Survive a Political Marriage

by teaandcharcoal



Series: johndave week 2017 [5]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Alternate Universe - Derse/Prospit Royalty, Alternate Universe - Medieval, Arranged Marriage, Derse and Prospit, M/M, Multi, Other, Pining, Polyamory, Pregnancy, also that's the whole plot right there woo hoo, details not heavily dwelled on but it's there, ethical non-monogamy, its really more the former than the latter but ethical non-monogamy isn't a tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-07-09
Updated: 2017-07-09
Packaged: 2018-11-30 00:45:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11452470
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/teaandcharcoal/pseuds/teaandcharcoal
Summary: Dave’s first thought was that Roxy had kind of lucked out. John didn’t immediately seem like a giant asshole and, if anything, he looked better than he did in the picture. But then again, there was something about the softness of his big blue eyes, the awkward timidness of that smile that would be impossible to maintain in a portrait. He was more than good looking. Big nose, buck teeth and all, he was absolutely beautiful.Dave’s second thought, as soon as he processed all that, was a short, simple ‘oh no.’Roxy, princess of Derse, is betrothed to the crown prince of Prospit to prevent war between the two nations. Her younger brother Dave comes with her to protect her honor and help ensure peace. The only problem? He falls in love with his new brother-in-law.Written for johndaveweek 2017 day 7: Prospit and Derse





	How to Survive a Political Marriage

**Author's Note:**

> *kicks down door* DID SOMEBODY SAY 'OPPORTUNITY FOR AN OVERLY COMPLICATED MEDIEVAL/EARLY MODERN AU THAT ENDS IN POLY SHENANIGANS?' I LOVE THOSE! 
> 
> Not all that stoked on the title, but when am I ever? 
> 
> Due to the nature of this week, I've only done one proofread and it was only a couple hours after I finished the final section and big swaths of it were originally written on my phone. So sorry if there are extra typos! I really like this story, though, so I hope you give it a read.

**Spring**

"Love isn't for people like us." That was one of the few pieces of advice Dave remembered getting from his mother. That and not to trust people who smiled too much because they always wanted something from you. "Love isn't for people like us," she'd said as she scolded him for joining in with some of the other young children's gossip about the older ones. "It's for peasants who don't have to worry about anything beyond their filthy noses."

His father insisted years after she died that she'd only meant romantic love and that love for one's family and nation were other things entirely. Dave wasn't sure, but then again his father's love had less to do with emotion and more to do with stoically devoting yourself to your duty. And, well, that last bit Dave could do. That was what had him accompanying his sister Roxy through what was unspokenly enemy territory. She was doing her duty as a princess of Derse and being shipped off to prevent a war with Prospit by marrying a man she'd never met. Dave was always better as a brother and a knight than a prince, so he'd volunteered to be her honor guard in a heartbeat. His answer to his father was that both Rose and Dirk already had children of their own, so the odds of them needing him to take the throne were slim to none, but the truth was he just couldn't let Roxy go without him.

On the final day of their journey she didn't let go of his hand. As the buildings grew from occasional wooden huts to gleaming marble and gold towers her grip got tighter. Her already fair skin was almost sickly pale with nerves

"Oh, Davie," She sighed. "I've known this was going to happen my whole life, but… like, what if I fuck it up somehow? We've been so close to war with Prospit for decades now and-"

"You're not gonna fuck it up," he said firmly. "Just stand there, look pretty, and repeat what you're told to. Yanno, just like any other interaction we've ever had with someone outside the family."

Roxy's laugh was light but loud, almost like the sparrows that liked to hang out in the gardens. "I guess I should be grateful he's not like twenty years older than me."

"Or a fifteen year old kid, like Dad was."

"And I know portraits always lie, but unless the artist was doing a serious cover-up job he's not bad looking either."

"Right. That's something."

They kept the curtains closed as the carriage rolled through the streets, but Dave couldn't help but hear the gasps and astonished murmurings. Yeah, yeah, purple carriage in a gold city, yatta yatta. He had no interest in what the common people thought of him. He’d pay attention when he got to the palace.

Of course, with the curtains closed he didn’t even realize he was in the palace until the carriage door opened. Dave and Roxy were greeted by a woman in her mid-twenties. She had a lovely soft face and short cropped black hair. Her bright yellow dress was well-tailored, if cut a bit lower than Dave was used to. Or maybe it just seemed that way because of her large bosom and how the dark color of her skin contrasted with the bodice. She smiled brightly at the two of them.

“Welcome, your majesties,” she said, curtsying deeply. “My name is Jane. I am the crown prince’s maid and assistant, but I have been assigned to be your guide for at least the day, perhaps longer if your majesties continue to need my service.”

“Hello,” Roxy said, keeping her voice cool and professional. “It’s nice to meet you.” She offered Jane her hand and the other woman kissed it. “Do we have any other appointments today?”

Jane shakes her head. “Unless you count supper, which will be served at seven, you’ve been given the entire day to begin getting settled in.”

“I see. Well then, lead on.”

“As you wish.” Jane turned and lead the two towards the front door. “Oh! I nearly forgot! I was also meant to point out that the king and his heir both wish for you to be as comfortable as possible.”

Dave knew he wasn’t supposed to speak unless spoken to, but if this woman was a servant she probably wouldn’t say anything. So he cut into the conversation. “Well that’s nice of them. Are we going to get to meet either of them before the wedding? I wouldn’t want to accidentally lead Roxy to the wrong guy.”

“Of course!” Jane turned and smiled at them. “They’ll be eating with you this evening. Prince John is actually quite excited to meet you. He would have come down to greet you himself, but we thought it would be more... equitable if you had the chance to freshen up a bit, perhaps change into something a bit more formal.”

“Oh,” Dave looked down. He’d worn one of his nicer shirts that day, but it had gotten awfully hot in the carriage. From the way the silk stuck to his back, it would probably be good to change.

The tour was blissfully short, and then Dave got the sweet, sweet relief of peeling his sweaty clothes off and washing up. By the time he got his clothes back on Roxy was already waiting for him in their shared parlor.  Her second best dress, the one made of pink silk had been pulled into its various layers and was laid out on a chair. She had the underdress on and was pacing back and forth.

“Oh my gosh, Dave, I’m so glad you’re here.” She ran her fingers through her hair. “Gods, I’m so nervous.”

“It’s okay, sis.” Dave said, placing one hand on her shoulder. “You’re gonna do fine.”

“What if he doesn’t like me?”

“Your fiancé or the king?”

“Well, I mean, it’d be better if Prince John likes me, but I’m more talking about the king. He’s the one with the power to call this off.”

“Roxy, think for a second: this is so we can all avoid a big, stupid, expensive war. You’d probably need to show up naked and covered in the blood of the innocent and then cuss out his mom for him to break the engagement.”

She laughed. “Thanks Dave. I don’t know what I’d do if anyone else was my attendant.”

Dave helped her into the next layer of her dress. “Shit, can you imagine if it was Rose? It’d probably be more proper, buuut...”

“Yeah, I’m not really in the mood for dry humor and sarcasm right now.”

Dave picked up one of the sleeves. “She’d get you in this thing in like two seconds, though.”

“Oh please, like you don’t know your way around a dress.”

He shrugged. “I can’t help it if I got a killer waist and a nice ass.”

“Keep telling yourself that, buddy.”

Together, the two of them got Roxy dressed and ready well before supper. Lacking anything else to do, they went downstairs, hoping to run into Jane again. She was friendly at least.

Instead, they found a man dressed in blue, sitting down at the table all by himself. He was turned away from the door and reading a book, so Dave couldn’t see much of him other than his slightly curly black hair. But given how common that trait was among Prospitians, it could have been anyone. Probably someone important, based on the intricate golden embroidery on his doublet, but Dave didn’t even know how many people would be coming to eat, much less who they all were and how to recognize them.

“Hello there!” Roxy called out, putting on a brave smile to cover her nervousness.

The man almost startled out of his chair. He turned and Dave got his first good view of him. He was about Dave’s age, maybe a little younger, but he had the kind of round, boyish face that always made Dave guess too low. He had a large protruding nose, something the Prospitian royal family was known for. So, yeah, he was someone important alright. Still not sure who, but Dave knew he would have to actually shut up for a while.

The man quickly regained his composure and got to his feet. He smiled nervously and started walking towards them. “Hello,” he said. “You, uh, you must be Princess Roxy, right? And that’d make you Prince Dave?”

Dave nodded and gave him a little bow.

“That’s right,” Roxy said. “And you are...?”

“Oh, right. Sorry, I’m not used to people not knowing who I am. I’m Prince John.”  

Dave’s first thought was that Roxy had kind of lucked out. John didn’t immediately seem like a giant asshole and, if anything, he looked better than he did in the picture. But then again, there was something about the softness of his big blue eyes, the awkward timidness of that smile that would be impossible to maintain in a portrait. He was more than good looking. Big nose, buck teeth and all, he was absolutely beautiful.

Dave’s second thought, as soon as he processed all that, was a short, simple _‘oh no.’_

**Summer**

The coming months proved Dave’s initial instincts correct. John was probably the best husband Roxy could have hoped for. He was sweet, he had a good sense of humor, and he actually got on really well with both of them. Dave had mostly worried that John wouldn’t be happy sharing Roxy’s attention with another guy, even if he was her brother. But, then again, sometimes Dave wished there was some rivalry between them. It might have made things easier.

The problem was that John was a really friendly guy. He wanted to be buddies with just about everyone he met. Which also meant that he wanted to hang out.  Shit, it was awkward. The first few weeks it was all Dave could do to meet John in the eye. It was bad enough knowing the guy boned his sister regularly. But he'd had time to prepare for that. It was a given that these marriages needed to be consummated to even be official, and even if that wasn't the case everyone knew this tentative alliance might fail if they didn't pop out a baby to keep it in place. 

Still, he hoped the "hey, that's my sister" angle would be a good enough façade to cover the real issue: he was jealous. And not of John for monopolizing his sister’s attention, which would have been childish but safe. Oh no, instead he wanted to be the one in bed with the prince. Sometimes when the couple did it in Roxy's bedroom he could hear it. And even if it was gross to hear his sister, his mind always seemed to fixate on John's low moans, the soft murmurs he couldn't understand though the walls. And when he tried to give himself some relief  his stupid brain always pulled up the memories of those sounds so he couldn’t even jerk off in peace. 

And Roxy had the nerve to complain about her sex life. 

"I know it doesn't sound like it, Dave, but it really is kind of annoying after a while"

"Mmmhmm," Dave said, not looking up from the letter he was writing to Rose.

"I mean, we're getting better at it, but it's just like... usually when we get together we start chatting or one of us pulls out some cards and that’s what we really want to do but then we remember we’re married and supposed to be trying to have kids and kind of... resign ourselves to it? It's so bizarre, because it's like cock blocking except we're being forced to have sex instead of do other stuff."

"Mmmhmm." 

"You're not listening to me, are you?"

I'm listening." Dave said. "I just don't have anything to add. Like, to be honest I don't know how you guys manage to fuck at all since it’s so hot all the time." 

She shrugged. "Donno. Sense of duty? The fact Dad keeps sending me letters basically going 'you knocked up yet? You knocked up yet?' Like, yeah, that extra pressure has to be super helpful, right? I might just kill him."

"I hate to ask, but are you?"

“What?”

“Pregnant.”

She sighed. "No. I don't know what we're doing wrong."

"Probably nothing," he said. "Sometimes it just takes a while. It’s only been three months."

"Fuck, Dave I really hope you're right. It's just- I wish I could just hang out with him." She stared out the small slit in the wall. "But enough about that. What about you?" She asked.

"What's about me?" 

"Anyone catching your eye? I mean, you've got options. No one would even care if you picked a guy as long as you weren’t too vocal about it."

"I know, but nah. Nobody yet."

She perked up, seeing through his charade. Ugh, why did he even try with her? "Oooh, who is it? Do I know them? Is it Jane?"

"Why would you think Jane?" He deflected.

"Donno. She just seems like your type."

"I don't think you know my type as well as you think you do."

Come on! She's nice, she's funny, what's not to like? Also, I’ve seen the way you look at her boobs. Like they’re super nice, but come on."

"Look, just because you drag me into your love life doesn't mean I want you in mine!" He snapped.

"Dave?" She looked taken aback. Maybe she wasn’t as good at reading him as she thought.

"I'm going for a walk."

He got up and left. Not that there were really all that many places to go. It was broiling hot and Dave had no interest in dealing with anybody. Instead he made his way to the gardens. At that point in the afternoon the hedge maze would give him a little bit of shade, and there were plenty of benches in corners where he could sit and be alone. 

God, what was he even going to do with the rest of his life? Roxy had been spending more and more time with Jane, probably, because she knew more about girly stuff and Prospitian culture. His main job as an attendant was to protect her honor, but no one had so much as spread rumors since the wedding, other than the omnipresent one that Dave was her secret lover instead of her brother, but challenging anyone about that would probably just make it worse, and John was doing a good job of sticking up for them whenever he noticed. 

He supposed he could go back to doing tournaments next summer, if he ever got acclimated to the heat enough that he wouldn't boil alive in armor. But that would just be a distraction, and not a very good one in all honesty. He still would be left completely redundant. And more than that, even if he spent as much time as he could with Roxy, he was still profoundly lonely in a way he had never quite been before. But it's not like he could just approach someone, even if he wasn’t fixated on someone he couldn’t have. Brother of the future queen or not, he was still an outsider and always would be.

He turned a corner and almost walked right to John. Fucking perfect.

"Oh! Hi, Dave!" He said, smiley and cheery as always.

"Hey." Dave replied, giving the prince a brief nod. 

 "What's up? I don't usually see you out here during the day." Oh God, this was going to be a _conversation._ But it’s not like Dave could just tell him to fuck off.

"Just wanted some fresh air, you know?" He said, still hoping to cut the conversation short.

"Heh, makes sense. It's nice to actually see you, though. I've missed you these past couple days." 

In spite of himself, Dave got a little pang in his heart. John had missed him? Really? _No, Dave,_ he told himself, _don't get too excited_. He knew how Prospitians were, always saying nice shit even when they didn't mean it. He shrugged it off. "Sorry, man, I've been pretty holed up. Not used to this kind of summer, you know." 

"What are they like in Derse?"

Dave furrowed his eyebrows. "Haven't you asked Roxy yet?"

"I have, but I want to hear what you think. I like talking to you." He seemed so sincere, and he had that extra softness in his eyes that he reserved for people he really cared about. And Dave? Dave was so fucking weak to that.

"Well," he said, "It rains a lot more, almost every day in the evenings. We don’t get as many sunny days, but when we do it gets really humid. So most festivals and stuff really happen at night and we sleep most of the day." 

"Wow, I don't think I'd be able to do that! I'm such a morning person. It sounds like fun, though."

"Yeah," Dave sighed. "It was."

"Well..." John put a gentle, reaffirming hand on his shoulder and Dave all but melted. "The midsummer festival is coming up next week, and that really gets going after sunset. If you'd like I can show you around." 

Dave barely resisted the urge to squeal and jump up and down. "Shouldn't you go with Roxy?"

"Eh, Jane'll be happy to go around with her at night. But you don't have a lady in waiting to keep you company, so how about a friend?"

Dave stared at him for a moment.

"Wait, shoot, we are friends, right? I forgot Dersites don't throw that word around so much, but I feel like we're starting to get close, and I..."

Dave wanted him to finish the sentence. He knew it was wrong, that he shouldn't feel the way he did, and he had to be reading too much into the nice words that flowed so easily from John's mouth. But instead of finishing his thought John just looked away. Fuck, he thought he was being rejected, didn't he?

"Yeah," Dave said, giving John a rare smile. "Friends."

John’s grin could have lit up the darkest night. Well, if Dave was in this deep, he might as well try to enjoy it.

**Fall**

Unfortunately, spending time with John turned out to be a complete double edged sword. On the one hand he loved the feeling of basking in his attention. He relished the hugs, the gentle touches to his hands or shoulders. But at the same time it was so hard to always watch him go back to Roxy at the end of the day, to have to stand back during official appearances, to not let on how badly he wanted John as something other than a friend. It did get a little better after they realized Roxy was pregnant. At least then there was no more mandatory sex in the next room over, plus both of them seemed happier for it. And for a while it could all four of them - Jane included - just hanging out and being platonic bros. And Dave was okay with that. In all honesty, it was the best case scenario.

Then one day all of the men got together to go hunting. It wasn’t John and Dave’s first time together. They would be going out dozens of times over the course of the fall, since that was when the deer and elk were having their rut so you could get a buck with a big, beautiful pair of antlers. But this time John broke the two of them away from the rest of the group. He said he wanted to try to see if there were any good marks to ambush down by the river. So the two of them crept through the forest as silently as possible. But when they got out of sight of the rest of the party John stopped and stood up.

“What are you doing?” Dave hissed.

“I don’t care if there are deer or not, and I don’t care if they run away,” John replied. “I just wanted to talk to you. Alone.”

“I-is something wrong?”

He’d been discovered. He knew it. He knew John would catch on eventually. Dave braced himself to be told off. The fact that he was doing this alone probably meant that he wasn’t being banished or punished for it, which was good, he guessed. Fuck, he’d been getting too bold, letting his hands linger longer than they should on John’s shoulders, even now and then ghosting across his thigh. He’d probably have to avoid John all together, since the guy was just so gorgeous and wonderful and he wasn’t sure he’d be able to hold himself back well enough.

“Sort of. I, uh, I’ve been trying to think of how to bring this up or start this conversation for a while.”

Yeah, of course he had. Stupid Dave, thinking he could get away with this.

“And I think the best way to start is probably by saying...”

Here it comes.

“Roxy’s having an affair with Jane.”

“Wait, what?” He was flabbergasted. This had to be a joke. One of John’s weird “gotcha” pranks that would be resolved in about two minutes. But his face was absolutely serious, and this was usually when he’d burst into giggles if it was a joke. Instead, he just kept talking.

“Okay, maybe affair’s not quite the right word. Because it kind of implies like sneaking or that I’m not okay with it and we actually talked it over before she started. It’s completely fine and above board. I knew Jane was really into her and she was really into Jane and I know you know the two of us aren’t really into each other that much, and it’s not like Jane could get her pregnant so it’s not like it really matters in the grand scheme of things.”

“I-I didn’t know.” Dave admitted. “Why didn’t she tell me?”

“I mean, we didn’t want that many people to know. Like you probably know it’s more common than people think for royalty to have lovers on the side, but we didn’t want people spreading it around. Kind of keeping it on a need-to-know basis.”

“How long has that been going on?” Dave asked.

“A few weeks. Basically once we knew we’d be off the hook for a year or two we agreed it would be okay for us both to see other people on the side, as long as there were no kids involved. And honestly, it’s worked out pretty great. I know you noticed how much happier she is, but also now we can just spend time together. Because I love her, but I’m not in love with her and now I don’t have to feel guilty about that or anything.”

“Huh. I mean, I guess... who’s gonna tell you what to do other than your dad, right?”

“Yeah, and he has no idea. We’re making absolutely sure of that.” He smiled. “I’m glad you kind of get it.”

“Sure, but, uh, why are you telling me this? Like, is it so Jane can come through to see Roxy and I won’t worry about it?”

“No. I mean, that might happen too, but just thought this next part would be easier if you knew that already. Okay, here we go.” He took a deep breath. “I think... I feel like there’s something between us Dave. You feel it too, right?”

Dave inhaled sharply. He wanted to say yes, to leap into John’s arms and kiss until they were both dizzy, but he knew this could be a trap. He didn’t know Prospit’s laws on extramarital affairs or same-sex relations or entrapment. So instead he asked, “Are you- are you prepositioning me?”

John smiled sadly. “I guess you could call it that. I just don’t want to lie to you anymore, Dave. I don’t know how it happened, because I honestly was trying to fall in love with Roxy but I guess I messed it up.” He let out a dry laugh. “I’m guessing form the look on your face you don’t feel the same. That’s okay.”

_"Love isn't for people like us. It's for peasants who don't have to worry about anything beyond their filthy noses."_

_“Never trust anyone who smiles too much, Dave. They always just want something from you.”_

But there was something about the sincerity on John’s face, the fact that he was trying so hard to hide the fact that this was breaking him. Dave knew this was a risk worth taking. He grabbed John by his doublet and yanked him forward into a searing kiss.

John melted into it, wrapping his arms gently around Dave. Dave had messed around with servants a little bit before, but it had been a long time. John seemed to sense his uncertainty and took control, increasing the intensity of the kiss, but Dave wasn’t sure which of them actually moved to deepen it first. Maybe it was both of them at the same time. Regardless, as their tongues tangled and they shared each other’s air, Dave felt full, complete in a way he hadn’t imagined before. John smelled so good. Even with the scent of dying leaves around them, with his nose pressed so closely to him, John’s scent, masculine and musky and warm, was inescapable. Dave wanted to drown in it.

A little groan slipped out and John replied in kind. Dave ran his fingers down John’s sides. His doublet was lightly ribbed, the tracks interrupted every now and then by silk thread embroidery. The fabric was thick, but beneath it Dave could just make out the shape of his body, his wide sturdy ribcage and the strength in his shoulders and chest. He wanted to get his hands and lips and teeth over every inch of skin. And he could think that now! He could think that now and not feel guilty!

They pulled apart, both breathing heavily.

“Holy shit,” Dave said.

“Yeah,” John swallowed. His pupils were blown wide with desire. “God, Dave, I’ve never felt like this before. How do you even do this to me?”

“I donno. I just know I really wanna suck your dick against one of these trees.”

John moaned. “Come on, that’s just not fair! You know sooner or later the other’s are gonna come looking for us.”

Dave smiled wickedly. “Later then?”

“Shit, _please,”_ John breathed.

Dave got up on his tiptoes to press another kiss to John’s lips, this one quick and relatively chaste. “Cool. It’s a date, then.”

And then, like the suavest motherfucker on earth, Dave turned and walked back towards the group.

They just told everyone they hadn’t seen any deer.

**Winter**

The first few weeks were hard for Dave, trying to explain why he was practically floating through the halls without admitting he got laid and giving the game away. (That being said, he did, of course, tell Roxy about it. She was overjoyed that her two favorite men were in love and happy right up until the point where Dave pointed out that he could now definitively say that he had no idea what she was complaining about earlier because John had a really nice dick and knew how to use it. Then she threw a pillow at him.)

But once Roxy officially hit the three month mark and it was likely enough the pregnancy was going to stick for them to make an announcement about it, things got a lot easier. Even people who didn’t really like the royal family let out a huge sigh relief that soon there would be a baby to keep the peace. And since Dave knew earlier it made sense that he’d be over the moon about it. Just a good brother and citizen of Derse. Yep. But, even more importantly, it gave them an excuse to switch up the living arrangements. Jane had been John's handmaid for years, living in the equivalent quarters to Dave's. But since Jane was also an accomplished healer and midwife, having attended every birth in the castle since she was a girl, "for the sake of the princess and her baby" it only made sense for her to be on call all day every day for Roxy. And the best way to do that was obviously for her to switch rooms with Dave.

Well, in theory they were switching rooms. But Dave never slept in his own room. Whether Jane did was between her and Roxy. 

Instead, Dave woke up this morning, like every other in the last month, with John curled up in his arms. Or at least in one arm. The other was pinned beneath John’s sturdy frame and Dave could just barely feel pins and needles in it. But he was still too sleepy to withdraw it, so Dave closed his eyes and enjoyed the gentle snores John let out when he was nearly awake but not quite. But as he continued waking up it got harder and harder to be just an observer when John was _right there_ and had the audacity to be so hot and adorable and amazing _._ Dave gave into temptation, burying his nose in John's hair and splaying his fingers across his lover’s broad chest. John groaned and buried his face deeper in his pillow. Dave didn't mind. He hummed back at John and left little kisses all over the back of his neck. 

"Mnnn, Daaaave..." 

"Shhh." Dave stroked his chest and belly. “Just sayin’ good morning.”

John replied with a little breathy sigh. Then he made the decision to move, and Dave felt muscles all along John’s powerful body contract as he rolled over. They’d been doing this for a fucking month. Dave really should have been over it, but John was like poetry or art in motion. When those strong, thick arms wrapped around Dave’s waist he knew that this kind of attention was worth all the numb arms in the world. 

Their lips met for the first time that morning, and John’s breath smelled kind of like death but whatever. Dave couldn’t be any better off and it was kissing time. Besides, holding was good. Being held was better. John gently traced his spine with one hand while the other stayed firmly on his waist. They came apart to just kind of mush their faces together: an awkward rubbing of cheek to cheek with a little bit of what Dave liked to call nose fencing and some forehead bumps. Dave had thought he would just be all about the kissing, but John’s whole face was just great. His whole everything was great.

“I love you,” John murmured.

“Love you too.”

They kissed one more time, brief and chaste.

“Hey,” Dave said, “You wanna get dressed and see if the girls are up? Maybe get some breakfast?”

“Hmmm... Weighing food versus bed.”

“Versus the fact that you keep wanting to check up on Roxy?”

“Okay, you win.” John sat up and stretched.

Dave let himself lie there a moment more, appreciating John’s form every second he could. The way John’s dark skin gleamed in the early morning light was almost a crime. Almost.

When they finally managed to make it out of the bedroom, they found their parlor empty. But when they went through the door between John and Roxy’s room they didn’t see them there either. It turned out that the two of them were in their parlor, snuggled up on half of Roxy’s plush sofa. There was a tray full of rolls and tea placed neatly on the table in front of them. Jane held one of the teacups in both hands. She looked prim and proper as always, hair neatly combed and fully dressed. Roxy was kind of a disaster in comparison. She had always been kind of a late riser, and the whole “needing more rest because baby” thing didn’t help with that. She was wrapped in a thick wool blanket and her hair was still a mess. Dave came over and ruffled it up more.

She laughed and waved him off. “Dave, stop it!”

“Heh, he’s annoying everyone awake today,” John said.

“With love!” Dave interjected, half-joking.

“Yeah sure.” John walked over to the couch and sat down next to Roxy. He put one arm around her and sweetly kissed her temple. “How’re you holding up?”

“I’m alright. Barely vertical, but alright.”

“Don’t have too much sympathy for her,” Jane said, smiling. “She stayed up late reading some new fairytale book she got.”

“It’s not a fairytale, it’s about _wizards,_ Janey.”

“I still don’t get the difference.”

“Fairies have wings and stuff. Duh.”

“Those are called Pixies, dear. And I’ve told you, fairytale doesn’t mean ‘a tale about fairies’ it’s anything with magic in it.”

“Maybe in Prospit...”

“Well, I mean, that is where we are.”

“Shhhh. Leave me alone, I’m pregnant.”

“Oh, does that make you lose sense of location too?” Jane asked, smiling. “I mean it would make sense, since yesterday it apparently made you unable to tie a sash properly.”

“Shhhhh.”

 While the two of them bickered good-naturedly John got himself a scone and covered it with butter and jam. Dave tried to wedge himself into the remaining space on John’s other side, but he didn’t quite fit until the others all scooted over a little. Roxy and Jane didn’t so much as pause their conversation.

It was a tight fit to get all four of them on anything, but it was comfortable in a weird way. Maybe it was John’s solid warmth or the way he looked at Dave and smiled. Maybe it was knowing that his sister was there and happy or that he was able to be completely honest with her again. Maybe it was even Jane’s calming presence, the way she could always make it feel like everything was alright.

But that really didn’t matter. All Dave cared about was that he was loved, that it felt like he had a whole family again. Even if he was hundreds of miles from home, even if there were still things about this country that were bizarre and new, he wasn’t alone anymore. Perhaps for the first time, Dave was truly happy.


End file.
